Legion of the Damned: Legion of the Damned, Book 1

In the future, the terminally ill can prolong life by surrendering their consciousness to a cybernetic life form that is then recruited into the notorious Legion of the Damned, an elite fighting unit charged with protecting humanity.

At the Sign of Triumph: Safehold, Book 9

The Church of God Awaiting's triumph over Charis was inevitable. Despite its prosperity, the Charis was a single, small island realm. It boasted less than two percent of the total population of Safehold. How could it possibly resist total destruction? The Church had every reason to be confident of a swift, crushing victory, an object lesson to other rebels.

Shadow of Victory

Sometimes things don't work out exactly as planned. The Mesan Alignment has a plan - one it's been working on for centuries. A plan to remake the galaxy and genetically improve the human race - its way. Until recently things have gone pretty much as scheduled, but then the Alignment hit a minor bump in the road called the Star Empire of Manticore. So the Alignment engineered a war between the Solarian League, the biggest and most formidable interstellar power in human history.

Koban: Conflict and Empire

The Galactic Federation is confronted by the vast and implacable Thandol Empire, which has coveted the former Krall region of space for eons, a region of space now occupied and claimed by the upstart Kobani. Outnumbered, they face an opponent who possesses new and deadly weapons. An enemy that had thousands of years to develop the means to take on the Krall Empire, and now present the supermen with a weapon that turns their greatest genetic asset into their greatest weakness.

The Terran Privateer: The Duchy of Terra, Book 1

Earth is conquered. Sol is lost. One ship is tasked to free them. One Captain to save them all. When an alien armada destroys the United Earth Space Force and takes control of the human homeworld, newly reinstated Captain Annette Bond must take her experimental hyperspace cruiser Tornado into exile as Terra's only interstellar privateer. She has inferior technology, crude maps, and no concept of her enemy, but the seedy underbelly of galactic society welcomes her so long as she has prizes to sell and money to spend.

Bold: Kris Longknife, Book 14

Despite her role as a fleet admiral and protector of a planetary system, Kris is still beholden to her great-grandfather King Raymond's commands. She has been personally selected for a mission that will, should she succeed, save millions of lives. The Peterwald Empire is in the midst of civil war. On one side is the tyrannical empress; on the other is the last person Kris ever wants to see again: Grand Duchess Vicky Peterwald. Due to their shared history, the emperor believes Kris can mediate between the factions and bring about peace.

Deadeye: The Mutant Files, Book 1

In the year 2038, an act of bioengineered terrorism decimated humanity. Those who survived were either completely unaffected or developed horrible mutations. Across the globe, nations are now divided between areas populated by “norms” and lands run by "mutants" - Detective Cassandra Lee of Los Angeles's Special Investigative Section has built a fierce reputation taking down some of the city's most notorious criminals.

Metal Boxes - At the Edge

Ensign Stone's goals were to make his way in the Empire's navy, make his family proud of him, and make love to his fiancée. No matter which way he turned, someone was conspiring against him. Disgraced and humiliated, he is court-martialed, discharged, and abandoned. Accepting what he thinks is a lowly busy-work position on a beat up old family business space freighter travelling at the edge of human space, he hopes to earn back the trust and respect he lost.

The Oncoming Storm: Angel in the Whirlwind, Book 1

In the year 2420, war looms between the galaxy's two most powerful empires: the tyrannical Theocracy and the protectionist Commonwealth. Caught in the middle sits the occupied outpost system Cadiz, where young officer and aristocrat Katherine "Kat" Falcone finds herself prematurely promoted at the behest of her powerful father. Against her own wishes, Kat is sent to command the Commonwealth navy's newest warship, Lightning.

Into the Guns: America Rising, Book 1

On May Day 2018, 60 meteors entered Earth's atmosphere and exploded around the globe with a force greater than a nuclear blast. Earthquakes and tsunamis followed. Then China attacked Europe, Asia, and the United States in the belief the disaster was an act of war. Washington, DC was a casualty of the meteor onslaught that decimated the nation's leadership and left the surviving elements of the armed forces to try to restore order as American society fell apart.

On Silver Wings

When the Colony on Hayden's world went black, a team was sent to investigate. It was supposed to be a training mission: skip in, find out the Casimir Transmitter had gone dead, report back and wait for resupply from the Fleet. By the time the only surviving member of the team made landfall, it was spectacularly clear that this wasn't a training mission.

Starship Blackbeard

In the aftermath of an interstellar war with an alien race, Captain James Drake is unjustly court martialed and sentenced to hard labor. Now Drake is on the run from Lord Admiral Malthorne, while another pursuer, Drake's old friend, believes the accusations are true, and promises to bring him to justice.

Hard Lessons: A Learning Experience, Book 2

Fifty years after Steve Stuart and his friends captured an alien starship, the Solar Union is a thriving interstellar power while Earth is increasingly backward and falling into barbarism. For two youngsters from Earth, the Solar Union offers the only chance they will ever have to make something of their lives.

Barbarians at the Gates: The Decline and Fall of the Galactic Empire, Book 1

The Federation has endured for hundreds of years, but now it is dying, killed by the corruption and decadence of the Senate and the rising power of military warlords. The shipping lanes are coming apart, the colonists are revolting, and outside forces are pressing against undefended borders. Now, as one warlord makes a bid for supreme power, the entire edifice is on the verge of falling apart.

Monster Hunter Memoirs: Sinners

With New Orleans out of control, Chad Oliver Gardenier, one of Monster Hunter International's premier hunters, has been dispatched from Seattle to reinforce the beleaguered members of MHI'S Hoodoo Squad in their fight against the darkness.

Metal Boxes: Trapped Outside

Perry Stone hasn't gotten over his fear of being outside and he still hasn't settled into life in the Empire's Navy. After months of legal wrangling over his last assignment, he has been given a new assignment. He was looking forward to getting a new posting on a spaceship or a station. The problem is that his new job is on a planet.

Valor's Choice

In the distant future, humans and several other races have been granted membership in the Confederation - at a price. They must act as soldier/protectors of the far more civilized races who have long since turned away from war.

Star Shroud: Ascension, Book 1

Zack Quick has been on the move for 10 years, hacking big corporations and exposing their secrets. Then he stumbles upon one of the biggest discoveries that will forever change the world - and possibly get him killed. Kaylan Farrow is the pilot for Earth's most advanced spaceship, whose maiden voyage is supposed to take her crew to Titan, but newly released images from a deep space probe threaten to cancel the mission.

They Shall Not Pass: The Empire's Corps, Book 12

Despite the escape from Meridian - and a strike at the heart of Wolfbane - enemy forces are still advancing on all fronts. The Commonwealth, worn down by a year of hard fighting, is reaching the end of its tether while Admiral Singh, having secured control of Wolfbane, is searching for the breaking point that will shatter the Commonwealth once and for all. Time is needed, time to bring new weapons and tactics into service, but time is the one thing the Commonwealth doesn't have.

W. DYER says:"It was good to see Nuttall get back to his great story telling"

The Black Sheep: A Learning Experience, Book 3

In the wake of Earth's collapse into chaos, Captain Hoshiko Stuart made the mistake of speaking her mind - and was exiled six months from Sol to a naval base in an unexplored and uncontacted sector. Placed in command of a single squadron of starships, she expected nothing but boredom. But when she discovers an alien race threatening to exterminate all other races within the sector, Hoshiko and her squadron are drawn into a war to stop them.

Terms of Enlistment: Frontlines, Book 1

The year is 2108, and the North American Commonwealth is bursting at the seams. For welfare rats like Andrew Grayson, there are only two ways out of the crime-ridden and filthy welfare tenements, where you’re restricted to 2,000 calories of badly flavored soy every day. You can hope to win the lottery and draw a ticket on a colony ship settling off-world, or you can join the service. With the colony lottery a pipe dream, Andrew chooses to enlist in the armed forces for a shot at real food, a retirement bonus, and maybe a ticket off Earth.

On the Imperium's Secret Service: Imperium Cicernus, Book 1

The Imperium; a million worlds, trillions upon trillions of humans and aliens, an empire that dominates half the galaxy... an empire that is falling into chaos, revolution and civil war. Only a handful of people are struggling to keep the Imperium together, knowing that the brutality of its rule is infinitively preferable to the chaos of its fall. This is their story. Mariko and her sister were independent shippers and ace pilots, until they ran afoul of the law on a minor planet and ended up jailed and enslaved.

Warrior King: Odyssey One, Book 5

Battle-weary after a desperate fight to save Earth from the Drasin alien onslaught, Confederation Captain Eric Weston is tasked with a perilous new mission. He and the crew of the Odysseus must hunt down those who unleashed the hellish attack on his homeworld and that of Earth's Priminae allies.

Rusty Hinges: Metal Boxes, Book 3

Stone's fist, secure in the combat suit and hidden by camouflage, impacted the Hyrocanian mouth before it closed around the baby. Stone grabbed the helpless piglet with his free hand and tossed it to a startled female. The piglet, the last of her kind on the delivery shuttle, grabbed the baby and ran. Stone twisted his fist, trying his best to break every tooth in the Hyrocanian's mouth. Suddenly, his fist broke free from the shattered teeth. Opening his fist, he felt something soft and squishy at the back of the alien's throat.

Publisher's Summary

The roots of the Legion of the Damned lie deep within the mythology of the future. But now, national best-selling author William C. Dietz goes back to the Legion’s early days with the story of one recruit’s rebirth and redemption....

Hundreds of years in the future, much has changed. Advances in medicine, technology, and science abound. Humanity has gone to the stars, found alien life, and established an empire.

But some things never change....

All her life, Lady Catherine Carletto (called Cat) has lived for nothing but the next party, the next lover, the next expensive toy. Until, in a bloodthirsty power grab, Imperial Princess Ophelia and her cadre of synth assassins murder her brother the emperor, and go on to purge the galaxy of his friends and supporters - including Cat’s family. The Carlettos are known to be staunch supporters of the Emperor and Carletto Industries has been in the forefront of his pet project - developing cybernetic technology for use by the masses.

Now Cat, one of the last surviving Carlettos, is on the run. And, like countless others before her, she finds her sanctuary among the most dangerous of society’s misfits.

Welcome to the Legion.

Cat Carletto vanishes, and in her place stands Legion recruit Andromeda McKee. A woman with a mission - to bring down Empress Ophelia - or die trying.

I am a voracious reader (average about 4-5 Audible books a week, in addition to those I "eyeball".) I have been hooked on recorded books since the time of cassettes/CDs and was thrilled when I became an Audible member in 2007. I find reader reviews good guides to spending my credits, so have finally decided to write a few (although, I would rather be reading!)

Plenty of action (and the protagonist made a rapid transition from Paris Hilton to action babe) and good group of characters made this a decent entry into the Legion of the Damned Series. This can definitely be "read" as a stand-alone entry but I advise anyone at all intrigued by this book to read others in the series (especially "Legion of the Damned") before giving up on Dietz, as this is not his best. Would have been better without the (seemingly) "thrown-in" romance, but maybe that is just my taste.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Sought of, I kept listening, but had a nagging about the universe. The plot seemed worthwhile, but the environment seemed to be a 21st Century transplanted into the 27th (?). Technology seemed old, the "walkers" seemed liked Humvees. The assault rifles like M-16s. I felt it went a bit fast, maybe the author should have let a year or two go buy to forge the loyalties...

Would you be willing to try another book from William C. Dietz? Why or why not?

I doubt.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Isabelle Gordon?

Yes. But in this particular read she was rather monotone with regards to emotion of the main character.

Could you see Andromeda's Fall being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No.

Any additional comments?

I felt the "love interest" was a bit gratuitous. Tech seemed 20th/21st Century. Aliens were too human for my liking. At times it felt like cut-scenes glued together. Maybe I am being a bit harsh here, but it did feel like it lacked a SF element. This was my first book from Dietz, and will probably head back to authors who spend more time on character building.

Where does Andromeda's Fall rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

About middle, interesting story concept. But there was a few too many opps I wrote myself in a corners so I’ll just have the character lie to get me out of it. Or ignore facts that I kinds of had written in the book earlier. Almost made me wonder if he was a rookie writer, I may follow this book series but I don’t see myself getting to deep into his worlds.

I chose this audiobook since I have enjoyed similar stories in the past, such as Elizabeth Moon's Vatta Wars and Jack Cambell's various series. Unfortunately, Andromeda's Fall didn't work for me. I listened the audiobook on and off for several months before I was finally able to finish it. Not a good sign. The main character, McKee (aka Catherine Carletto), was too on-spot and lacked any imperfection. She reminded me of the Mary-Sue stereotype from my fanfic days, making it hard for me to cheer her on.

On the other hand, the plot was intriguing and enjoyable. I haven't decided whether I will finish the series, since the storyline was great but I really disliked McKee. I will definitely be continuing my search for great SciFi, because this did not meet expectations.

This story has some great features: good storyline, original sci-fi concepts, enjoyable characters and such, but the entire package when taken in aggregate comes up short. While I didn't necessary lose interest, I just never got hooked. You know when you listen to a good book and just can't wait to pick up where you left off, I never got that feeling until late in the second part of the book!

The narration, simply put is sub-optimal. The narrator does not have the range that I'm used to, and she doesn't do a good job of telling an already flawed portrayal of events.

There is quite a bit of action and drama, but it comes at you rather predictably, and the protagonist is unnaturally lucky. Bad things do indeed happen to her, but, you know something is wrong when a majority of the time an entire squad of soldiers are dead, but the protagonist always gets saved. It just didn't seem realistic after the first few revolutions of the same ending.

I thought that with the backdrop of the opening scenes that this story would have been epic, but the experience turned out to be just below average.

Just when I finished mourning the end of the Legion of the Damned series William C. Dietz is back with an encore presentation. One of the greatest series in Sci-Fi is back with an installment that will drag you back in and get you hooked all over again. Andromeda's Fall is by far William C. Dietz's best work yet on the LotD series. Murder, court intrigue, suspense, and betrayal are just a few of the things that make this book an "I can't put this down" type of book. This book has earned it's spot at the beginning of one of the best Sci-Fi series of all time, and it is one more example of why William C. Dietz is considered one of the best authors of any genre.

Isabelle Gordon takes this new book and knocks it out of the park. On a side note it probably would have helped if she had listened to at least one of the other LotD books, but the things she mispronounces are so rare that it really doesn't play that big a role in how good this performance is. All in all this book is ready for its debut in the Sci-Fi Hall of Fame alongside all of the other LotD books.

If you could sum up Andromeda's Fall in three words, what would they be?

Legio Patria Nostra

What was one of the most memorable moments of Andromeda's Fall?

It's a bit of an audio page-turner though not very believable (despite it being set in the future with space travel et al) it's pretty engrossing. The most memorable moment for me was the attack on the convoy over the river. Mostly because a strong female character was repeatedly assisted by a strong officer in command. This is something that I would have hoped would not be needed.

How could the performance have been better?

The performance of the Andromeda series does make me chuckle at times and then irks me at other times. This due to the performer having some very strange pronunciation for words at times.

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